The power struggle over who steers St. Louis’ arts and tourism money is heating up. On Wednesday, the chairman of the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) publicly defended the agency after the Missouri state auditor launched a review of its spending and floated the idea of shifting some of RAC’s work to Explore St. Louis, the city’s convention and visitors commission.
As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Missouri state auditor's office has opened a performance audit into RAC’s spending and warned that parts of the agency could be “integrated” into Explore St. Louis. That suggestion landed with a thud in local arts circles, where RAC’s independence is a perennial point of pride.
Commission Chair Constantino Ochoa did not mince words in response. Ochoa told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the commission has “never had anything to hide” and said the organization plans to “fully cooperate with state officials” as the review goes forward.
RAC, Explore St. Louis and the money behind them
RAC distributes grants that are funded largely by the hotel-motel tax, a public revenue stream tightly linked to tourism marketing and the city’s convention business. That financial setup ties RAC’s arts mission to the same pot of money that helps sell St. Louis to visitors.
Because of that shared funding source, and because of recent joint efforts to pitch St. Louis arts to out-of-town visitors, any change in who oversees RAC could ripple through local venues, festivals and the broader hospitality sector, according to the City of St. Louis and reporting by St. Louis Public Radio.
What the audit could mean
Performance audits look at financial controls, grant procedures and compliance with state law, then typically result in public reports that include management recommendations or corrective steps. In some situations, auditors refer matters for additional legal review. The process scrutinizes records and practices rather than issuing a criminal verdict, according to the Missouri State Auditor's Office.
RAC commissioners met in person last Thursday at the Cortex Innovation Building, where Chair Ochoa delivered his formal remarks and members said they would cooperate as the review proceeds. Meeting notices and the current board roster are available on the commission’s website at RAC St. Louis.
